The community is grieving after a harrowing incident that took place in the late afternoon hours of January 25. A male and a female student who attended Plantation High School were in a vehicle that appeared to lose control and ended up in a canal.
Unfortunately, the 16-year-old male and 17-year-old female did not survive. The crash took place in the 7700 block of West Oakland Park Boulevard.
Losing young people in such a tragic fashion is tough to stomach, but the grief felt by those who saw it unfold will be particularly acute. This took place close to the Jersey College School of Nursing, who helped provide authorities with footage to help piece together what happened.
Information Technology Coordinator Geffried Medelus, Program Coordinator Dr. John Silva, and Campus Director Dennis Garberg all jumped in the water to help the drowning teenagers.
“None of the three could do anything, the car was well submerged at that point and all they could see was the bubbles coming up, so yeah, it was terrible,” said Garberg. Via CBSNews.com
According to reports, both teenagers were able to escape the vehicle but could not make it back to land. The female teenager was eventually located and rushed by Sunrise Fire-Rescue to Florida Medical Center, where she died.
At this juncture of the investigation, it’s unclear what caused the car to dart into the canal. The presence of external substances also cannot be confirmed at this time.
The canal is thought of as a well-regarded area for people to visit, as it tends to be relaxing and offers a decent location for fishing enthusiasts.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the families during this extremely difficult time,” said Plantation High School Principal, Parinaz Bristol. Via CBSNews.com
Lytal, Reiter, Smith, Ivey & Fronrath is saddened to hear about this crash and tragic loss of life. If you or someone you know is injured in a car accident, please call us at (561) 655-1990.
